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Icon Cancer Centre's new program supporting patients beyond their treatment has been honoured with a prestigious award.
The Icon Cancer Survivorship Program won the 'Excellence in Consumer Partnerships and Engagement' category at the Australian Private Hospitals Association's 2024 APHA Awards for Excellence.
Developed by a team including a survivorship nurse, cancer care co-ordinator and nurse leaders, the integrated and co-ordinated service is offered to all patients being treated for curable or early-stage disease.
It is introduced at the start of treatment at Icon and continues for up to 12 months post active treatment.
Icon's Group Project Nursing Lead, Linda McGinn, said the program was started after a patient survey.
"We found that our patients felt fully supported during the acute stage of their treatment, but once that was finished, a lot of patients were asking 'What now?'," she said at the APHA 41st National Congress (APHA Congress) on the Gold Coast, where the awards ceremony was held.
"Our survivorship program covers the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial aspects of recovering from cancer," she added.
"We're inspired by the voices of our patients, and it's been humbling to see the feedback. We knew we had hit the mark with this program."
Cancer care co-ordinators at Icon develop a Wellness Care Plan and provide essential post-treatment resources.
The program supports the patient to transition from treatment to recovery and includes the whole healthcare team, including general practitioners.
Up to 70 percent of patients reported feeling better than their previous visit, and most would refer a friend to the program.
APHA CEO Michael Roff said the service was another example of private hospitals creating innovative programs for patients.
"The APHA Awards for Excellence aim to use peer examples to inspire the sector and to highlight the wonderful work our hospitals do for patients," he said.
"Every year we see great programs emerging where hospital staff have identified a particular community need and carefully developed a program to meet it. This is another one.
"This service has not only identified a gap in cancer care and sought to fill it, it has done so in partnership with patients and the whole healthcare team. It is a great example for others in cancer care to follow and could be rolled out nationally."
Ms McGinn said Icon had plans for a broader rollout of the survivorship program.
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